The stag left handed upper can be had for under $600. You can easily put a lower together for $150 or so, $200 at the most. $750-$800 for a lefty AR isn't too bad. Of all my AR's the Stag is my favorite.

The one you build yourself will be the best value. Suggestion is to build your first AR15 is find something that can fit all the roles. A Recce build is always a good start. You get the best of everything in a nice well rounded package.

Bravo Co or Colt. Instead of buying multiple ARs, like nearly all of us have, why not get one good one in the beginning, it will probably last you your lifetime and the difference in price is less than a case of high quality ammo.

Originally Posted By Aimless:Bravo Co or Colt. Instead of buying multiple ARs, like nearly all of us have, why not get one good one in the beginning, it will probably last you your lifetime and the difference in price is less than a case of high quality ammo.

Very well stated. I lost quite a bit of money going the cheap route in the beginning and selling them off later. If I could do it over, I would have been patient and slowly assembled or bought one badass SBR. The range beaters should have come last. I would have actually saved quite a bit of money doing that. If I weren't mechanically inclined or able to own a SBR, I'd probably just save up and buy a Colt 6940. That is a lot of quality gun for the money IMO and it is one of those weapons that you just don't 'outgrow' like you might a budget build or budget rifle.

I am a slave to my creations.... my image cannot be seen in them, but they bear my heart and soul - evl....

You need to buy a Hesse, it will go bang most of the time and is a good value for the money. Don;t believe those snobs and "fanboys" that want you to buy a quality rifle, you're smarter than they are and if you can save a little money you can hit McDonalds more and fill up on fries.

But seriously Bushmaster or DPMS are fine for sport, competition, and hobby shooting, and for a little more money BCM COLT LMT DD are all basically in reach. I would save a little more money and buy a quality rifle up front.

Originally Posted By Aimless:Bravo Co or Colt. Instead of buying multiple ARs, like nearly all of us have, why not get one good one in the beginning, it will probably last you your lifetime and the difference in price is less than a case of high quality ammo.

This, then learn to shoot irons.

Its not the guy that walks in with a gun and says he is going to start shooting that you have to worry about.Its the guy that just walks in and just starts shooting.

Originally Posted By Aimless:Bravo Co or Colt. Instead of buying multiple ARs, like nearly all of us have, why not get one good one in the beginning, it will probably last you your lifetime and the difference in price is less than a case of high quality ammo.

This, then learn to shoot irons.

You'll buy one, realize what you really want. Buy a second but this time the way you want, attach a bunch of magpul crap. Then realize KISS and lightweight are more important. Irons are a must

Originally Posted By Aimless:
Bravo Co or Colt. Instead of buying multiple ARs, like nearly all of us have, why not get one good one in the beginning, it will probably last you your lifetime and the difference in price is less than a case of high quality ammo.

Close to 5k rounds through my LMT, cleaned 4 times, and still no failures with any kind of ammo.

Originally Posted By M4:

Originally Posted By Aimless:Bravo Co or Colt. Instead of buying multiple ARs, like nearly all of us have, why not get one good one in the beginning, it will probably last you your lifetime and the difference in price is less than a case of high quality ammo.

Originally Posted By Aimless:
Bravo Co or Colt. Instead of buying multiple ARs, like nearly all of us have, why not get one good one in the beginning, it will probably last you your lifetime and the difference in price is less than a case of high quality ammo.

I would have to say BCM. That is what everybody winds up upgrading to anyway. But if you are judging your entire AR experience from your first AR I would skip the milspec clones and go with something like STAG, RRA and the old Bushmaster. Generally if you shoot with cheap ammo the 1/7 chrome lined barrels will not produce great results on paper.

Personally i would go straight to the 1/8 stainless midlength from PSA. Put together a PSA lower and call it a day.

"The fullsize A2 with a 20 inch barrel is the end of a long historical line of weaponry where the shooter was a real rifleman and not just some guy popping off rounds at 25 yards while looking through a magic looking glass." - JBnTX

Originally Posted By Aimless:Bravo Co or Colt. Instead of buying multiple ARs, like nearly all of us have, why not get one good one in the beginning, it will probably last you your lifetime and the difference in price is less than a case of high quality ammo.

Truth, the penguin has spoken it.

None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free. -Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin to slit throats.-H. L. Mencken

Originally Posted By TacticalDon:
What is the best valued AR-15? I'm looking to buy my first AR-15 but dont want to spend a ton on my first one, but also want it to be reliable.

Note: I am a lefty so any accessories you think will improve the ease of use for me please let me know. (I like the left handed Stags but don't think I want to spend that much on an AR-15 right now.)

Stag rifles aren't that expensive and are well made. The new Plus Package adds most of the items "the chart" looks for.

I'm happy with my Stag 3, works great. Is it the best? Eh... probably not. But it's reliable and accurate enough. If I had to replace it today and couldn't build my own, I'd look at a Stag +, Spike's, BCM, or just drop the cash on a Colt 6920.

Don't fight your equipment. Get a left-handed upper and ambi-controls on your lower.

"I believe in Karma. That means I can do bad things to people all day long and I assume they deserve it." - Dogbert